At this week's ordinary council meeting, Alpine Shire Council adopted the Alpine Shire Heritage Review 2026.
The adopted review will be used to prepare and exhibit a planning scheme amendment to implement the findings in the Alpine Planning Scheme.
The need for a review into historical heritage controls applied across Alpine Shire was established through the Alpine Planning Scheme Review 2023, which recommended that Council review and update the application of the Heritage Overlay.
The review identified 65 existing places in the Heritage Overlay that did not have place citation reports and statements of significance, which resulted in a lack of contextual information about the significance of the place.
The review assessed these places to determine whether they still met the criteria for local heritage significance, and prepared new place citation reports for each.
The incorporation of place citation reports into the Alpine Planning Scheme will provide landowners will additional details about why these places are significant, and how buildings, or parts of buildings, can be considered and conserved in future planning permits.
Additionally, 12 new places that were originally removed from Amendment C51 to the Alpine Planning Scheme in 2016 were found to meet the threshold of local heritage significance and are recommended for inclusion in the Heritage Overlay.
Alpine Shire Mayor, Cr Sarah Nicholas, emphasised the importance of this review to protect the historical heritage of Alpine Shire now and into the future.
"The history of Alpine Shire is written into the landscape and the buildings across our region that are protected through the application of the Heritage Overlay, which is an important planning control," she said.
"The review is an important piece of work to ensure that when planning decisions are made, everyone involved has a comprehensive understanding of why these places are significant to the fabric of Alpine Shire and must be respected."
All affected landowners were notified that Council was undertaking a review of the Heritage Overlay, with specific consultation undertaken as required to ensure that place citation reports were accurate.
Relevant Registered Aboriginal Parties were consulted regarding places of cultural heritage significance that may have shared significance.
Cr Nicholas also emphasised Council's free heritage advisory service for landowners of properties included in the Heritage Overlay.
"Council's heritage advisory service is entirely free and there to help guide future development proposals like building a new structure, extending an existing building, adapting a heritage building for a new use, or general conservation advice for buildings in the Heritage Overlay," she said.
"I encourage any landowners who have a property within the Heritage Overlay to contact Council to learn more about the historical significance of their buildings."
Council will now prepare a planning scheme amendment, which will be exhibited at a future date.
The Alpine Shire Heritage Review 2026 is available to view online on Council's website: https://www.alpineshire.vic.gov.au/building-business/strategic-planning/strategic-planning-projects/alpine-shire-heritage-review